6 March 2018 - - Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company Magenta Therapeutics Inc. and Ladenburg, Germany-based oncology specialist Heidelberg Pharma AG (FSE: WL6) have signed an exclusive multi-target research agreement, the companies said.
The collaboration will combine Magenta's stem cell platform with proprietary antibodies across up to four exclusive targets with Heidelberg Pharma's proprietary antibody targeted amanitin conjugates (ATAC) platform.
Under the terms of the multi-target research agreement, Magenta will have access to Heidelberg Pharma's Amanitin toxin-linker platform technology. Magenta has an option for an exclusive target-specific license for global development and commercialization rights to each of the product candidates resulting from the research collaboration.
Heidelberg Pharma will receive upfront technology access and exclusivity fees and payments for research support.
Under the exclusive license agreement, Heidelberg Pharma would be eligible to receive option fees, clinical development, regulatory and sales-related milestone payments up to USD334 m, if Magenta exercises all target options and all milestones are met.
Magenta Therapeutics is developing therapeutics to revolutionize bone marrow transplant for patients with autoimmune diseases, blood cancers, and genetic diseases.
By creating a platform focused on critical areas of transplant medicine, the company is pioneering an integrated approach to extend the curative power of bone marrow transplant to more patients.
Heidelberg Pharma developed the toxin Amanitin into cancer therapies using its proprietary ATAC technology and advanced the biological mode of action of the toxin as a novel therapeutic principle.
This proprietary technology platform is being applied to develop the company's proprietary therapeutic ATACs as well as in third-party collaborations to create a variety of ATAC candidates.